Stabilized and dyed wood

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Marc

Marc

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Joined
Jul 31, 2009
Messages
349
Location
3355 Lookout Pl Reno NV 89503
I have been having some fun lately learning how to stabilize and dye some wood. Here is a sample. This is cottonwood burl, with blue dye.
 

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Dang Marc!! I was in Reno a couple months ago for a turning get together! Like what you did with the chunk, but take us through the steps!
 
Justturnin said:
Looks great. What stabilizing system are you using?
Click to expand...

I am using the system from TMI, which the boss just bought for the store.

We first go a little familiar with the hardware and resin by stabilizing some Oak burl and cottonwoodburl pen blanks, then turned our attention to adding some of the dye's from the TMI vendor. I also read through some threads and tutorials on the IAP site for tips and talked with the TMI developer for some questions. They were very helpful.

First, we only used small chunks since we only had a toaster oven for the baking process that occurs after the stabilizing. That limited us to a peice that was 3.5 inches tall and wide. The wood was put under a vacuum in stainless steel container. It was kept under vacuum until bubbles stopped coming to the surface of the resin. That took around 1 hour, although I think we could have stopped sooner. I did not, because I wanted good penetration.

Once bubbles stopped, I wrapped the peice in aluminum foil and placed on a foil wrapped pan and stuck it in the toaster oven. Check in 45 minutes, if the resin has crystalized then you are done, if it is still wet, then cook longer. Cooking temp is important and is limited to a range of 195 - 200 degrees.

Take from the oven, peel off the foil, and turn to the shape desired. Sand like crazy and finished with a couple of coats of Behlens Woodturning finish and buffed on a wheel with carnuba wax
 
Wonderful bowl! Great shape and the blue dye really made the wood looks more attractive, very pleasing to the eyes. Very nice finish as well. Great job!
 
sure, they sell just the resin through their resellers

or you can buy Cactus Juice resin from MesquiteMan and pay less for essentially the same product and support a forum member at the same time...he'll probably get it shipped out faster too!

oh, and if you need advice on how to use your Juice, he provides his phone number on his website and will answer calls as late as midnight.

yes, Curtis is a friend. No, he does not give me any free stuff...but he does give a discount to veterans!
 
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